No Cook Tomato Sauce

Our tomato garden is producing in a big way, which is awesome because I cannot get enough of this super easy, fresh tomato sauce. I've been tossing it with pasta, slathering it on bread, and eating it by the forkful with Burrata cheese.

Bonus: even the kids are eating it! Little Roo, who can't handle a tomato skin due to his many textural aversions, is eating this sauce, at least sometimes. Of course I peeled the tomatoes.

I think this just might be the closest we've come to a healthful, delicious, true family dinner - one where we all eat the same thing at the same time at the same table and no on cries, vomits, or takes more than an hour to eat a reasonable amount of food. Break out the confetti, I've been waiting for this moment for the past six years!

Fresh Tomato Sauce
adapted from Fine Cooking Aug/Sept 2012

1 pound pasta
6 ripe, fresh tomatoes
1 cup basil, chopped
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp red pepper flakes (optional, I leave it out for the kids)
1 pound perlini fresh mozzarella balls, or other fresh mozzarella cut into 1/4-inch cubes

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and prepare pasta as directed. 
2. While the pasta cooks, peel the tomatoes using a serrated vegetable peeler or this method. Remove core, seeds, and chop tomatoes. Place the tomatoes and basil in a large bowl.
3. Place the olive oil and garlic in a small sauce pan over medium heat. Heat until the oil is hot, but not smoking. Pour the oil and garlic mixture over the tomato mixtures. Add salt and red pepper flakes, if using, and stir. Toss warm pasta with the sauce, then stir in the fresh mozzarella. Let it sit for a moment or two until the cheese gets all melty and oozy, unless you're cooking for Roo, in which case, keep the mozzarella on the side.